NOAA Fisheries provides science-based conservation and management for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine mammals, endangered species, and their habitats.
NOAA
NOAA Fisheries provides science-based conservation and management for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine mammals, endangered species, and their habitats.
The number of fish stocks rebuilt since 2000 as a result of our fishery management process. The number of stocks on the overfishing list dropped to an all-time low in 2019.
164
The number of endangered and threatened species that NOAA Fisheries has jurisdiction over, including 66 foreign species.
16 pounds
The average amount of fish and shellfish Americans ate in 2017, up a1.1 pound increase from 2016. U.S. dietary guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of seafood per week.
4.4 million square miles
The total area that NOAA Fisheries is responsible for monitoring and enforcing regulations for marine fisheries. This area is the largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world.
9.4 billion
The number of pounds of seafood that U.S. commercial fishermen landed in 2018 (most recent data year) at $5.6 billion.
1.7 million
The number of jobs that commercial and recreational fisheries supported across the nation in 2017 (most recent year of data.)
152,000
The number of acres of habitat restored since 1991. Since then, NOAA has contributed technical and financial assistance to more than 3,600 projects, which have restored 152,000 acres of habitat and opened more than 6,700 stream miles for fish migration.
479
The number of fish stocks or stock complexes that NOAA Fisheries tracks, managed by 46 fishery management plans.
1.5 billion dollars
The value of U.S.-farmed seafood in 2017 (most recent data year). The most valuable U.S.-farmed marine species were oysters ($186 million), clams ($129 million), and Atlantic salmon ($61 million).
205 million
The number of fishing trips that millions of saltwater anglers took in 2017 (most recent data year). Those fishing trips supported 487,000 jobs and contributed $41.5 billion to the national economy.
Our work is guided by two core mandates—to ensure the productivity and sustainability of fisheries and fishing communities through science-based decision-making and compliance with regulations, and to recover and conserve protected resources including whales, turtles, and salmon. We have five regional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories around the United States and U.S. territories.
